Page 15 of To Dwell in Shadows (Shadows of Aurelia #2)

S elene was relieved to find the Underworld’s library in a familiar part of the palace.

Nestled at the bottom of a short staircase in the royal wing, it was only a short walk from her and Sam’s chambers.

The arched doorway, reminiscent of a Gothic church, was well kept and clean.

But when Vanthee pulled the door open, Selene was shocked by what was inside.

Instead of a beautifully organized space, the Underworld’s library looked as though it had been rampaged by a herd of elephants.

Thousands of books were strewn across the floor in a haphazard mess.

Broken bookcases leaned against the walls, their splintered shelves spilling volumes onto the ground.

Some books had been stripped of their covers, their pages crumpled and tossed into heaps.

Others were stacked in precarious towers.

To someone who had always relied on libraries as refuges of order and peace, Selene was appalled.

“What happened here?” She asked.

Vanthee toed away a book covered in mold with her boot. “What do you mean? It’s always been like this. ”

Selene looked up at the vaulted ceiling, full of broken lights and peeling paint. “How does anyone find anything?”

Vanthee shrugged. “How should I know? No one ever comes in here.”

Selene picked up the first book from the floor that caught her eye. It was an ancient-looking tome entitled Malleus Maleficarum. She immediately recognized it from a high school history unit on European witch trials. It was the infamous treatise known as Hammer of Witches.

“This is a human book,” Selene said. She wiped dust from the cover and reinserted a loose page of German writing. “My god, it’s probably an original copy.”

“Probably,” Vanthee said, looking unimpressed.

Selene frowned. Although it was a gruesome text, it was hard to see an important piece of human history treated like garbage.

She set the book on a nearby table then picked up another.

This one was written in a non-human language with beautiful illustrations of seashells. She wiped grime from its soft cover.

“This is such a shame. How could the king and queen let all these books get so—oh!” As Selene spoke, something furry and extremely strong brushed past her hip. She looked up to see that an enormous black dog had burst through the library’s door and was now romping among the stacks.

Vanthee scrambled onto a nearby table, her face consumed with fear. “How did she get out?”

Selene blinked, surprised by her fearful reaction.

The dog was happily trotting around the library, so full of excitement that she threw her head back and barked.

But instead of a “woof” coming out, a blue flame shot into the air.

Selene stepped back quickly, knocking over a pile of stacked books.

This excited the dog even further, prompting another burst of blue flame from her mouth.

“Get out of here, Zetta! Go back to the kennels,” Vanthee shouted.

She picked up a nearby book and flung it toward the dog, who interpreted it as an invitation to play.

Zetta sprinted for it at full speed. When she came loping back with the book in her mouth, the only recognizable part was the title page—it was the Malleus Maleficarum.

Selene winced. “Really? Did you have to throw that book in particular?”

“Sorry,” Vanthee said, and she seemed genuine.

When the dog picked up another book and began to shake it wildly, Selene called out, “Hey, stop that! Come here. Is your name Zetta? You have to settle down.”

At the sound of Selene’s voice, Zetta rushed over.

In one swift motion, she rose to her hind legs and rested her paws on Selene’s shoulders.

Then she began to lick Selene’s cheek, making her laugh, even though the dog’s breath smelled like gasoline.

When she ruffled her hands through the dog’s shaggy fur, she noticed it was thick in some spots but bald in others.

“What’s wrong with her coat? Is she sick?”

“I don’t know. She probably has some disease young pups get,” Vanthee replied, watching Zetta warily.

Zetta backed down from Selene and zoomed around the library once more.

“She’s just a puppy? I wonder if she has mange. Do you have vets here?” When Vanthee looked at her blankly Selene added, “Healers… specifically for animals?”

“No,” Vanthee said, as if Selene had asked something incredibly stupid. “Are you hiding meat in your dress or something? Why does she like you so much?”

“She has good taste, I guess,” Selene joked. Zetta’s powerful tail was wagging so hard it caused a tower of books to collapse. “I take it you’re not an animal lover?”

“Hellhounds are vicious. I saw one bite the nose off a demon once just for crossing its path. Another purposely set the last kennel master’s home on fire with a single bark.”

Selene frowned. “Well, this one is a sweetheart.”

Vanthee scowled as Selene scratched Zetta behind the ears, then said, “We need to take her back to the kennels. Ogrin will be furious that she escaped.”

Cautiously, Vanthee climbed off the table and led Selene out of the library, which was now even messier than when they’d found it. Zetta didn’t need encouragement to follow; she trotted close to Selene’s side.

The kennels were in the courtyard, inside a space that looked like a battered greenhouse.

Thirteen rusty cages held dogs as black and shaggy as Zetta, only filthier.

Some were chained to bolts in the stone floor, others circled their cages anxiously.

A few barked at her, and Selene was surprised to see orange flames shoot from their mouths, unlike the blue ones Zetta produced.

“There’s the mongrel,” a haggard-looking demoness with long greasy hair called out as they approached.

Zetta’s jubilant attitude quickly shifted, and she dropped low to the ground, cowering behind Selene.

“She came all the way into the library,” Vanthee said.

“Did she?” Ogrin’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll deal with her later.”

“She didn’t do anything wrong—she was just curious,” Selene said, bending to soothe the dog. The other hellhounds watched her from their cages curiously.

“She needs to learn her place,” Ogrin huffed. “Hundreds of years since a Bluebite Howler pup was born, and I have to be the one to train it.” She yanked open one of the cages. “Get in there!”

Zetta dropped her body low to the ground and crawled toward the cage. Selene’s heart broke for the dog, as well as for the others who looked miserable and frightened.

“What are they trained to do?” Selene asked.

Ogrin eyed her suspiciously. “Who wants to know?”

Selene stuck out her hand to shake. “Hi, I’m Selene.”

When Ogrin looked at her outstretched hand like it was stick of dynamite, Vanthee said, “This living human is a guest of the king and queen. ”

Selene couldn’t help but notice Vanthee didn’t introduce her as Sam’s mate.

“Humph,” Ogrin replied, picking at a rust spot on a nearby cage.

“Some hounds go to the living world to guard graveyards or burial grounds, and others stay here. They’re supposed to herd lost souls who have wandered from their path.

” She gestured at one of the wispy ghost-like people Selene had seen earlier.

Then she pointed caustically at Vanthee. “Since this one can’t do her job.”

“Those are souls?” Selene asked. “Why haven’t they moved on?”

Vanthee’s eyes flashed with defensiveness, but Selene saw a hint of embarrassment as well. “I do my best to guide them to where they’re supposed to go, but sometimes there are too many. Some get missed, and it’s nearly impossible to get them back again.”

As Selene processed her words, Vanthee marched up to a misty figure. She looked back at Selene and said, “Watch this.”

Waving her arms in front of the spirit, she said, “Excuse me—hi. You’re in the wrong place.”

The figure, who looked like a young man wearing a tuxedo, drifted past Vanthee without even looking at her.

“Sir, you need to go home!” she called after him, beckoning him with her hand.

They watched the spirit continue to hover around the kennels, looking lost and desperately sad. Then he faded into thin air.

“See?” Vanthee’s chin trembled slightly when she looked back at Selene. “Now he’s gone to haunt someone. Maybe one of your kind can make him move on. Have you had enough of a tour, human? I have other things to do.”

It was clear Selene had touched a nerve, so she didn’t press further. “Yes, of course. Thank you for showing me around.”

“Your chambers are that way,” Vanthee said, pointing toward the royal wing. With that, she turned and walked off without another word.